2025 Church Conference

Ministry Highlights

2024

Saw new believers here

Now growing, discipling

Counseling is occurring

Music grows, thrives

Awana, still very active, great ministry to our fellow churches and community

VBS is always a hit

Cornerstone Care Team - developing well

2025 Ministry Potential

More formal counseling center someday

Children’s Sunday School - requires resources and teachers - perhaps a cooridnator

Prayer meetings - these need to occur - starting Wednesdays

Youth camping outing - need a coordinator

Church directory - need a coordinator

DEVOTIONAL

ILLUST: Nothing quite like having just the right tool for the job at hand

1) Responsible Church Belonging

My role - the lead this body spiritually, under the headship of Jesus

Your role - Actively engage in the spiritual service of this church

I am available to discuss what membership is, means, implies

Forms I have printed

Statement of Faith

Membership Form

28 Active Members on the record

Several inactive members

Several very active non-members, for whom we are thankful

Trying hard to follow the Biblical pattern in the church - From Acts 2

We will publicly read Scripture, Pray, Fellowship, Teach, Grow

2) A Strong Church

2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB95

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Strong local church requires spiritually strong believers

June shared this Bible verse with me the other day

This passage is crucial to her through her present and ongoing trial

It takes Yahweh’s sufficient grace to create strong disciples

Paul wanted physical and emotional strength, and was provided all-sufficient spiritual strength

It takes Yahweh’s Sufficient Grace to create a strong church

Sufficient = as much as needed, enough

Bible word = arkeo

The beautiful structure of this verse

(SLIDE) - Chiasm - central focus - grace and power - from Yahweh

Yes, GRACE is unmerited favor, but….there’s more

Not just the unmerited favor

BUT THE FORCE/POWER THAT SUSTAINS US THROUGH LIFE

John 14:8 NASB95

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

The disciples wanted that sufficiency

Hebrews 13:5 NASB95

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

being content = arkeo

Being content with what you have

and what you have is GRACE - Yahweh’s amazing grace

All-sufficient grace

Not a consolation price, as in “deal with it, you are good enough”

BUT A REALIZATION THAT GRACE IS ALL-SUFFICIENT, ALL-SATISFYING

THEN…Our weaknesses, acknowledgement of them

is what allows us to sense His power

His power stems from His crucifixion and resurrection

The power of our church, our little church

Knowing we need Him

And when we know we need Him

He supplies grace - don’t take that for granted

He supplies grace SUFFICIENTLY

He supplies EXACTLY what we need, when we need it - GRACE

For Yahweh to say He is sufficient? - WOW!

Whatever the struggle, whatever the challenge - YOUR CALLING IS NOT HAMPERED IN THE LEAST

Paul EXCELLED with the grace received

You can EXCEL with the grace received - IT IS SUFFICIENT

IT WAS PROVED TO BE SUFFICIENT

WHEN HE SAID IT IS FINISHED

IS sufficient

Not “was” or “will be” - IS

His power is perfected - don’t miss this part

(SLIDE) -

Finished = tetelestai

Finished, already accomplished, with the effects continuing into the present

YOUR BATTLE HAS BEEN WON!

Perfected = telestai

This continues to be an ongoing process

Believers are today being perfected - present tense

ASIDE - each here - trials, challenges - each has desire of something we’d like to be better, healed, fixed, un-broken

IT IS GRACE, sufficient GRACE, allowing us to prioritize and serve Him

IN your homes, and in this church

SUMMARY

Jesus FINISHED the Work

So He could begin finishing the Work in the Believer

This church will be stronger when more believers allow that work to begin, continue and flourish

What will it take for more HERE to yield to His work?

Prayer, Holy Spirit, The Word

And humble hearts

Accepting His GRACE, and then putting it to work

CORNERSTONE - YAHWEH’S PLAN TO SHOW CHRIST TO NOBLE

And His desire is for you to take an active part in that

AND…Yahweh gets the glory!